Finger mask



April 8, v1952 L. R. KNEPPER l-:TAL 2,592,293

' FINGER MASK Filed April 9, 1951 "'lllllll Patented Apr. 8, 1952 FINGER MASK Lily R. Knepper, Joseph R. Newton, and Kenneth K.,Knepper, Royal Oak, Mich.

Application April 9, 1951, Serial No. 219,954

9 Claims. (Cl. 132-885) This invention relates to a finger or toe mask for use during the application of nail polish.

Finger masks or finger shields have been employed heretofore to facilitate the application of polish to ngernails, however, the several devices of the prior art have not proven entirely satisfactory inasmuch as they are complicated in design and construction, expensive to manufacture and diicult to use.

With the foregoing in View, the primary object of the invention is to provide a finger or toe mask which is simple in design and construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use and easy to remove without spoiling the coated nail surface.

An object of the invention is to provide a finger or toe mask which can be manufactured cheaper as the component parts are easily made and the assembly of the parts can be readily accomplished.

An object of the invention is to provide a finger or toe mask which can be operated with ease by a professional manicurist or the self-user.

An object of the invention is to provide a finger or toe mask which can be tted to all sizes of fingernails or toe nails without changes in its assembly or arrangement of parts.

An object of the invention is to provide a finger mask which ejects itself from the digit of the hand or the foot falling clear of the nail without spoiling the coated nail surface.

These and other obje'cts of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of a ringer nail or toe nail mask embodying the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the inventive mask in operational position on the digit of a hand.

Fig. 2 is a top perspective View of the inventive finger mask.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 2 taken on the line 3--3 thereof, showing in dotted lines the use position.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of Fig. 3 taken on the line lI-l showing in dotted lines the use position.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 3 taken on the line 5-5 thereof.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of Fig..3 taken on the line E-6; and

Fig. 7 is a ycross-sectional View of Fig. 3 taken on the line 'i-l thereof.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the finger mask 2 disclosed therein to illustrate the invention comprises, a case I9 substantially I shaped in transverse cross-section having two chambers A and B, a clamping lever I5 mounted in charnber A and extending outwardly therefrom, a foot 20 on the extending portion of the lever I6, a spring 22 torsioned against the case Ill and against the lever I6 biasing the foot 2U upwardly, a pair of arms 23 and 24 disposed in the chamber B and extending outwardly therefrom, arcuate mask lingers 2l and 28 on the extending portions of the arms 23 and 2li respectively located above the foot 2D, a spring 3l located in the chamber B between the arms 23 and 24 biasing the arcuate mask fingers 2 and 28together, a cover 34 securely fitted on the case I0 over the chamber B retaining the arms 23 and 24 and the spring 3| in place in the chamber B.

More particularly, the inventive mask comprises a case In substantially I-shaped in crosssection having a web member I I, downwardly extending sides I2 and I3 defining a chamber A in conjunction with the web member Il, upwardly extending sides I4 and I5 defining a chamber B in conjunction with the web memberv I I, a clamping lever I disposed between the sides I2 and I3, apertured housings I1 and I8 on the lever I6, a pin I9 disposed in the sides I2 and I3 and in the apertures of the housings Il and I8 pvotally mounting the lever I6 on the case It with the foot portion 2l of the lever I6 projecting beyond the case I0 and the actuating portionv 2| of the lever I6 adapted to enter the chamber Aof the case I0, a spring 22 surrounding the pin I9 torsioned against the webb Il and the lever It biasing the foot 20 upwardly as seen in the drawing, a pair of pins 25 and 26 disposed vertically in the web member II and through the arms 23 and 2,4 respectively pivotally mounting the arms 23 and 24 on the case Il), arcuate mask fingers 2l and 28 on the arms 23 and 2li respectively projecting beyond the case IB above the foot 2D, actuating shoulders 29 and 35 on the arms 23 and 24 respectively adapted to pass through the sides I4 and I5 of the case I0, a iioating spring 3i placed in the chamber B between the arms 23 and 24 torsioned against the actuating shoulder end 32 and 33 of the arms 23 and 2t respectively biasing the shoulder portions 32 and 33 of the arms 23 and 24 apart swinging the arcuate mask iingers 2'I and 28 together on the pins 25 and 26 as seen in the drawing, a cover 3d securely fitted on the sides I and I5 retaining the arms 23 and 24 on the pivot pins 25'and 25 and 3 the floating spring 3| in place in the chamber B of the case I0.

Unmounted, the finger mask appears as shown in Figure 2. The arcuate mask fingers 21 and 28 are held together by the torsional force created by the spring 3|. The foot 20 is pressing upwardly against the bottom of the mask finger 21 and 28 biased by the spring 22.

To preliminary mount the finger mask on the digit of an encumbered hand to facilitate the painting of the nail, the user with her free hand holds the mask case between her thumb and forefinger. By pressing the cover 34 and the actuating portion 2| the user forces the portion 2| of the clamping lever i6 into the chamber A thereby separating the'foot 20 from the mask fingers 21 and 28. In this preliminary mounted position the mask is placed with the arcuate fingers 21 and 28 over the nail and the foot 2G below the digit. The free hand is removed and. the inventive mask remains on the digit clamped in the preliminary mounted position, as illustrated in Figure 3 where the dotted lines indicate this position of the clamping lever i6.

To finally mount the inventive mask, the thumb and foreiinger of the free hand force the actuating shoulders 32 and 33 together pivoting the arms 23 and 24 on the pins 25 and 26 thereby separating the arcuate mask fingers 21 and 28 until the nail edges are cleared, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 6 and in Figure 4. The free hand is removed and the inventive mask remains clamped in the final mounted position as illustrated in Figure 1.

To demount the inventive mask after the nail has been coated with polish, the thumb and forenger of the free hand force the actuating shoulders 32 and 33 together pivoting the arms 23 and 24 to widely separate the mask fingers 21 and 28 until the digit is cleared. At this instant the digit is ejected from the mask by the foot 26 on the spring loaded clamping lever I6 avoiding any possibility of marring the coated nail surface.

The remounting of the inventive mask on another digit of different proportions can be readily accomplished. This is assured for the gripping actions between the foot and the mask fingers 21 and 28 are equally efiective regardless of the angular positionof the clamping lever |6 or the degree of separation of the mask fingers 21 and 28 in the nal mounted position. The result of the gripping actions is illustrated in Figure 4 where the flesh is shown compressed downwardly and away from the edges of the nail. The two grippingactions, one between each respective mask finger and the foot compressing the flesh downward on the respective sides of the nail, are combined with the gripping action between the arcuate mask fingers themselves pushing the fiesh away as the arcuate portions move in to occupy the space adjacent to the nail edges.

In addition to the remounting of the inventive mask on digits of the hand of varying proportions, the mask is equally adaptable for mounting on the digits of a foot in a manner similar tothat described in mounting the mask on the digit of a hand.

The inventive mask with these features constitutes a compact, durable, and neat appearing mechanism easily operated to prepare a nail for rapidly coating it with polish creating an appearance as attractive as though laborious time had been consumed in beautifying its surface.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, detail and arrangement of the various elements of the invention within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the actuating shoulders 29 and 30 on the arms 23 and 24 could be eliminated and two button-like plungers could be mounted in the case IIJ for actuating the same ends of the arms 23 and 24.

We claim:

l. A skin mask for use when applying polish to a nail comprising a case, paired pivotally mounted spring pressed members extending outwardly from said case pivoting in a horizontal plane and another pivotally mounted spring pressed member extending outwardly from said case pivoting in a vertical plane below said paired members.

2. A skin mask to be used when polishing nails comprising a case, a clamping lever pivotally mounted in said case to rotate in a vertical plane to press against the bottom of the digit, a pair of arms pivotally mounted in said case above said clamping lever to rotate in a horizontal plane to press against the flesh of the digit adjacent to the edges of the nail.

3. A skin mask to be used when applying polish to a nail comprising a case having a substantially I-shaped cross-section forming two chambers, a pair of pivotally disposed spring pressed arms capable of horizontal movement mounted in one of said chambers, a pivotal spring pressed clamping leg capable of vertical movement mounted in the other said channel below said arms.

4. A finger or toe mask to be used when applying polish to a nail comprising a case, arms pivotally mounted in said case, arcuate mask fingers on said arms that grip the digit adjacent to the nail during the polishing operation, a pivotal clamping leg mounted in said case to press the digit against said arcuate mask 1ingers holding the finger or toe mask in place on the digit.

5. A finger or toe mask to be used when applying polish to a nail, comprising a case, arms pivotally mounted in the case in a horizontal plane, arcuate mask fingers on said arms adapted to conform to the nail edges, a pivotal clamping leg mounted in said case extending outwardly from said case below? the arcuate mask fingers and pivoting in a vertical plane to contact the digit pressing the digit against the underside of said arcuate mask fingers.

6. A finger or toe mask to be used when applying polish to a nail comprising a substantially I-shaped case, a pair of arcuate mask fingers on pivotally disposed arms mounted in the top portion of said case, said arcuate mask fingers having gripping inside edges with a contour substantially similar to the edges of a. nail, a floating spring contained in said top portion of said case biasing the arcuate mask ngers together, a pivotal clamping leg mounted in the bottom portion of said case, a secured spring contained within said bottom portion forcingV said pivotal clamping leg to rotate in a vertical plane pressing against the bottom of the digit.

'7. A finger or toe mask to be used when applying polish to a nail comprising a substantially I-shaped case, said case having two chambers one above the other, a pair of pivotally disposed arms capable of pivoting in a horizontal plane mounted in the top chamber on respective vertical axes a spring located within said top chamber between said pairs of arms, arcuate mask lingers on the ends of said arms designed to hold the flesh away from the edges of the nail actuator shoulders at the opposite end of said arms permitting the user to open said arcuate mask lingers against the force exerted by said spring, a pivotal clamping leg mounted in the bottom chamber on a horizontal pin, a secured spring around said pin with its ends between said pivotal clamping leg and said case, the end of said clamping leg designed as a foot to t the bottom of the digit, said secured spring forcing said foot upward toward said arcuate mask lingers, an actuator end opposite said foot end of said clamping leg extending below said case permitting the user to increase the space between said arcuate mask fingers and said foot in a a vertical plane against the force exerted by said secured spring by moving said actuator end into said bottom chamber.

8. A finger or toe mask to be used when applying polish to a nail having a case substantially I-shaped in cross-section having two chambers one above the other, an arm mounted on a vertical pin in the top chamber permitting its movement in a horizontal plane, an arcuate mask linger on the end of said arm extending outwardly from said case designed to hold the flesh clear of the edge of the nail, the opposite end of said arm protruding from said case to serve as an actuator shoulder, a second arm shaped and mounted in the same manner as the iirst but of opposite hand designed to grip the flesh at the other side of the fingernail, a oating spring placed within said case in said top chamber between said arms at their said actuator shoulder ends thereby forcing said arcuate mask lingers together opposing the force to be applied by the user at said actuator shoulders, a clamping leg mounted on a horizontal pin secured within the bottom chamber of said case, a foot on the end of said clamping leg designed to t the bottom of a digit as it extends outwardly from said case below said arcuate mask fingers, the end of said clamping leg opposite the foot extending below said case to serve as the actuator end, a secured spring around said horizontal pin with its ends pressing against said case and said actuator end thereby forcing the said foot upwardly in a vertical plane opposing the force to be applied by the user at said actuator end of said clamping leg.

9. A finger or toe mask to be used when applying polish to a nail comprising a substantially I-shaped case having a top and bottom chamber, two pivotally disposed arms mounted on vertical axes within the top chamber', actuator shoulder ends on said arms extending outwardly of said case, arcuate mask ngers on the opposite ends of said arms extending at a greater distance designed to lit the digit adjacent to the edges of the nail, a floating spring contained within said top chamber between said arms at their actuator shoulder ends thereby forcing said arcuate mask lingers together until moved apart by a greater force applied by the user at said actuator shoulders, a cover to be securely placed over said top chamber holding said floating spring and said arms in place, a pivotal clamping leg mounted on a horizontal pin within the bottom chamber, an actuator end on said clamping leg extending below said case, a foot on the opposite end of said clamping leg extending from said case below said arcuate mask ngers designed to t the bottom of the digit, a secured spring around said horizontal pin with one end of said secured spring pressing against said case and the other end directly below pressing against said clamping leg at its said actuaator end thereby forcing said foot upwardly against said arcuate mask fingers until moved apart by a greater force applied by the user at said actuator end.

LILY R. KNEPPER.

JOSEPH R. NEWTON.

KENNETH K. KNEPPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,287,062 Powers June 23, 1942 2,428,152 Goettel Sept. 30, 1947 2,518,391 Smidl Aug. 8, 1950 

